"THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT"
Which Shall We Serve?
INTRODUCTION
1. As Christians, we enjoy wonderful freedom in Christ...
a. There is freedom from sin - Jn 8:31-34
b. There is freedom from the Law of Moses - Ro 7:6
c. There is freedom from the traditions of men - Ga 4:9
2. It is truly the desire of Christ that we be free - cf. Ga 5:1
a. But we must not allow freedom to become "license" (i.e., freedom
without any restraint)
b. If we are not careful, desires of the flesh can wreak self-
destruction - Ga 5:13-15
3. To prevent this, the apostle Paul commands us to walk in the Spirit
- Ga 5:16
a. If we do so, we will not succumb to the desires of the flesh
b. And whatever dangers there might be in fulfilling the lust of the
flesh are thereby diminished
4. To encourage us to walk in the Spirit and not carry out the desire
of the flesh, we will spend several lessons examining this section
of scripture: Ga 5:16-26
5. Perhaps a good place to begin is by asking these questions:
a. Why make any effort to walk in the Spirit?
b. Why not just succumb to the desires of the flesh?
[At least five reasons are given in our text, and the first one we
shall consider is this...]
I. THE SPIRIT AND THE FLESH ARE CONTRARY TO ONE ANOTHER - Ga 5:17
A. LIKE TWO OPPONENTS, FIGHTING FOR OUR SOUL...
1. They are in opposition against each other - Ga 5:17a
2. Is "the Spirit" referring to the Holy Spirit, or the human
spirit?
a. I believe it has reference to the Holy Spirit
b. The context of the epistle certainly suggests this to be
the case
1) Through "the Spirit" we eagerly wait for the hope of
righteousness- Ga 5:5
2) Paul's argument "If we live in the Spirit, let us also
walk in the Spirit" would not make sense if the human
spirit is meant - Ga 5:25
3) Reaping everlasting life "of the Spirit" must refer to
the Holy Spirit - Ga 6:8
3. So while the flesh pulls us in one direction, the Spirit of
God would have us go in another!
B. A CHRISTIAN MUST SERVE ONE, OR THE OTHER...
1. If you follow the lusts of the flesh, you can not do the will
of the Spirit - Ga 5:17b
2. Like the dilemma described in Ro 7:14-23, following the flesh
will enslave
3. But with the help of Spirit, the flesh can be overcome! - cf.
Ro 8:12-14
[So we must choose who will be our master: the lusts of the flesh, or
the Spirit of God; we cannot serve both!
As we continue, we are given more reasons to serve the Spirit...]
II. IF YOU ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT, YOU ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW - Ga 5:18
A. WHAT DOES MEAN TO BE "UNDER THE LAW"?
1. In the context, "the law" has primary reference to the "Law of
Moses" - cf. Ga 4:21
2. The purpose of the law was primarily two-fold:
a. To reveal sin - cf. Ga 3:19a; Ro 3:20
b. To condemn the sinner as guilty - cf. Ro 3:19
3. To be "under the Law", then, is to be under a state of
condemnation!
a. For the law does not provide forgiveness
b. It only provides condemnation!
B. THOSE WALKING IN THE SPIRIT ARE NOT UNDER THE CONDEMNATION OF
THE LAW...
1. Because obedience to the gospel revealed by the Spirit results
in freedom
a. Freedom from condemnation - Ro 8:1
b. Freedom from the law of sin of death - Ro 8:2; 6:17-18
-- Made possible through the sacrifice of Christ! - Ro 8:3-4
2. Because those walking according to the Spirit (cf. Ro 8:4) do
things against which there is no law to condemn them! - cf.
Ga 5:22-23
[If we desire to be free from the condemnation of sin under the law of
God, then we must "walk in the Spirit".
There is another reason why we should seek to "walk in the Spirit" and
not "fulfill the lust of the flesh"...]
III. FULFILL THE LUSTS OF THE FLESH, AND YOU WILL NOT INHERIT THE
KINGDOM OF GOD 5:19-21
A. THIS IS A REFERENCE TO THE HEAVENLY KINGDOM...
1. Spoken of by Christ - Mt 25:34
2. Looked forward to by Paul - 2 Ti 4:18
3. Referred to by Peter - 2 Pe 1:10-11
B. NOTE THE EMPHASIS BY PAUL...
1. A double warning!
2. "of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in
time past..." - Ga 5:21
3. He wants to be sure they don't miss it!
C. THE END OF THOSE WHO FULFILL THE LUSTS OF THE FLESH...
1. They have no inheritance in the kingdom of God - Ga 5:21; Ep
5:5
2. Indeed, the wrath of God will come upon them - Ep 5:6-7
[Which shall it be? Walk in the Spirit, or fulfill the lusts of the
flesh? The choice should be clear: one offers freedom from
condemnation, and the other offers no hope of the heavenly kingdom!
But Paul gives us two more reasons to make the right choice...]
IV. THOSE WHO ARE CHRIST'S HAVE CRUCIFIED THE FLESH - Ga 5:24
A. IN BAPTISM, WE DIED TO SIN, HAVING BEEN CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST...
1. Our old man was crucified with Him, that we might no longer be
slaves of sin - Ro 6:1-6
2. We died with Christ (in baptism) that we might be free from
sin and live a new life with Him! - Ro 6:7-10
B. AS CHRISTIANS, WE ARE TO CONTINUE TO "CRUCIFY SELF"...
1. We continue to "put to death" the "members which are on earth"
- Co 3:5-7
2. We must be involved in the process of "putting off" the old
man - Co 3:8-11
3. If we are not doing this, there is no hope - cf. Ro 8:13
[Putting off the works of the flesh, therefore, is fundamental to the
Christian life. We started the process when we were baptized into
Christ, and we are to continue the process as we grow in the Lord.
We are not alone in this effort. As Paul indicated in Ro 8:13, it is
by the Spirit we are able to put to death the deeds of the body. That
leads back to a fifth and final reason we ought to walk in the Spirit
and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh...]
V. IF WE LIVE IN THE SPIRIT, LET US ALSO WALK IN THE SPIRIT - Ga 5:25
A. WE OWE OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES TO THE HOLY SPIRIT!
1. It was the Holy Spirit who made the Gospel known to mankind
a. As Jesus said He would - Jn 16:7-13
b. The apostles attributed the gospel message to the Holy
Spirit - 1 Co 2:9-13
2. When one responds to the gospel of God's grace, they are
renewed by the Holy Spirit - cf. Ti 3:5
3. It is the Spirit in us who gives us new life! - Ro 8:11-13
B. SINCE WE LIVE IN THE SPIRIT, SHALL WE NOT WALK IN THE SPIRIT?
1. It is by the Holy Spirit that God has made our new life
possible
2. It is only proper that we should live out our new life...
a. Being led by the Spirit - Ga 5:18; cf. Ro 8:14
b. Walking in the Spirit - Ga 5:25; cf. Ro 8:1-2
CONCLUSION
1. We have these five reasons why we should walk in the Spirit and not
fulfill the lusts of the flesh:
a. The Spirit and the flesh are contrary to one another
b. If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law
c. Fulfill the lusts of the flesh, and you will not inherit the
kingdom of God
d. Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh
e. Since we live in the Spirit, we should also walk in the Spirit
2. But lest anyone remain convinced, consider another point made by
Paul...
a. We reap what we sow! - Ga 6:7-8
b. And the type of corruption reaped by those who give into the
works of the flesh is varied:
1) It is physical, mental, social and spiritual
2) Look around you and you can see the truthfulness of this; only
the foolish do not see it
3. But also seen is the type of life which is enjoyed both now and in
heaven by those who follow the Spirit (as suggested in 1 Ti 4:8)
The question we each face is this...
The flesh or the Spirit: Which shall we serve?
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